Conservation & Environment
Preserving Nature's Legacy: A Focus on Conservation & Environment in Washington County
Non-profit organizations that focus on Environment & Conservation protect and preserve Washington County’s water, air, land, plants, animals, and other natural resources.
Impact
Working with government, corporations and private citizens, Environment & Conservation organizations implement programs and sustainably manage natural resources for the benefit of all living things.
Washington County, Pennsylvania has 857.0 square miles of land area and 3.9 square miles of water. It is the 18th largest county in Pennsylvania by total area. Washington County sits entirely within the Western Allegheny Plateau section of the Appalachian Forest ecoregion and is home to more than 3,000 different species of flora and fauna.
– Sources: iNaturalist.org, Pennsylvania Master Naturalist, U.S. Census Bureau
Strengths
- Partnerships between Organizations and Corporations
- Abundance of Natural Resources
- County, City Parks
- Plentiful Outdoor Recreational Opportunities
- Private and Public Funders that Embrace Environmental Initiatives
- Clean-Up Programs
- Tree-Planting Initiatives
- Strong Advocacy for Environmental Practices
- Tourism
- Successful Efforts to Improve Water-quality and Animal Habitats
- Washington County Land Bank
Challenges
The lack of a county-wide recycling program, including tires, leads to illegal dumps which pose environmental and safety hazards. Litter creates an urgent need for more frequent roadside clean-up initiatives. There is a general lack of awareness of challenges faced by these organizations and the programs they provide. With continued residential and economic development initiatives, there is the need to balance progress with protection of natural resources and greenspaces. Members of the focus group expressed their belief that communication and coordination amongst organizations and community leaders must improve. Governmental regulations often create unnecessary obstacles and delays. The internal capacity of organizations cannot keep up with the demand for services. Abandoned properties cause blight and impact conservation efforts. Often major equipment and machinery are needed for projects which lead to logistical issues around acquisition, storage, and utilization.
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Participating Nonprofits
- Canonsburg Houston Southpointe Rotary
- Center for Coalfield Justice
- Clean and Tidy our County
- Donora Public Library Association
- Monongahela Area Revitalization Corporation
- Peters Creek Historical Society
- South Franklin Township
- Washington County Conservation District
- Washington County Watershed Alliance

Washington County Nonprofits
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